President of Guatemala facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Guatemala
Presidential flag
Coat of arms of the President
Incumbent Bernardo Arévalo since 15 January 2024
Office of the President of Guatemala National Security Council
Style	Most Excellent Mr. President of the Republic (official) Mr. President (informal)
Member of	Cabinet
Residence	Casa Crema
Seat	Guatemala City
Appointer	Supreme Electoral Court
Term length	Four years, non-renewable
Constituting instrument	Guatemalan Constitution
Inaugural holder	Mariano Rivera Paz
Formation	3 December 1839 (185 years ago) (1839-12-03)
Deputy	Vice President of Guatemala
Salary	146,950 GTQ monthly ($18,863 as of May 2023)

The President of Guatemala (in Spanish: Presidente de Guatemala) is the main leader of Guatemala. This person is both the head of state (the country's official representative) and the head of government (the person in charge of running the country). The President is chosen by the people for one four-year term. This important job was created in 1839.

How is the President Chosen?

Who Can Be President?

To become President of Guatemala, a person must meet certain requirements. These rules are found in Article 185 of the country's Constitution.

Here are the main things needed:

• They must be a Guatemalan citizen from birth.
• They must be at least 40 years old.

However, even if someone meets these requirements, they cannot be President if they:

• Led a coup d'état (a sudden, illegal takeover of the government) or a similar movement that changed the country's laws.
• Were the President or Vice President during an election period.
• Are close relatives of the current President or Vice President before an election.
• Worked as a government minister within six months before the election.
• Are part of the Armed Forces of Guatemala unless they have left the military or retired at least five years before the election.
• Are a minister of any religion.
• Are a judge of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (the court that handles elections).

How Long Does a President Serve?

The President serves for four years. They cannot be re-elected or stay in office longer than their term. Also, if someone has been President for more than two years, they cannot run for the job again in the future.

What Does the President Do?

Article 183 of the Constitution explains the President's many duties and powers. These include:

• Making sure the Constitution and laws are followed.
• Protecting the country and keeping public order.
• Being the leader of the Armed Forces of Guatemala and the National Police.
• Approving and enforcing laws.
• Making emergency rules when there are serious problems, and telling the Congress about them.
• Suggesting new laws to the Congress.
• Being able to veto (reject) laws passed by Congress, unless the Constitution says otherwise.
• Giving a yearly report to Congress about the country's situation and how the government is doing.
• Sending a budget plan to Congress each year, showing how the government will spend money.
• Asking Congress to approve international agreements and contracts for public services.
• Calling special meetings of Congress if the country needs it.
• Leading the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet) to guide the nation's development.
• Being the boss of all officials and employees in the Executive Branch.
• Keeping the country's land safe and respecting its honor.
• Managing foreign policy and international relations, including signing treaties.
• Welcoming diplomats from other countries.
• Managing the country's money according to the law.
• Forgiving fines for people who didn't pay taxes on time due to administrative issues.
• Appointing and removing ministers, ambassadors, and other officials.
• Giving out awards and pensions according to the law.
• Telling Congress about any trips taken outside the country within 15 days.
• Sending a report to Congress every four months about how the budget is being used.
• Doing any other duties given by the Constitution or laws.

What Happens if the President Can't Serve?

Article 189 of the Constitution explains who takes over if the President is unable to continue.

• If the President is away for a short time, the Vice President of Guatemala steps in.
• If the President leaves office permanently, the Vice President becomes President for the rest of the term.
• If both the President and Vice President cannot serve, the Congress chooses a temporary President. They do this by a vote of two-thirds of all the members of Congress.

Past Presidents of Guatemala

Note: Many sources say that Jimmy Morales was the 50th president.

State of Guatemala (1839–1847)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
1		Mariano Rivera Paz (1804–1849)	3 December 1839	25 February 1842	2 years, 84 days	Conservative	—
2		José Venancio López (1791–1863) Acting	25 February 1842	14 May 1842	78 days	Independent	—
3		Mariano Rivera Paz (1804–1849)	14 May 1842	14 December 1844	2 years, 214 days	Conservative	—
4		Rafael Carrera (1814–1865)	14 December 1844	16 August 1848	3 years, 246 days	Conservative	—

Republic from Carrera to the Liberal Revolution (1847–1871)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
4		Rafael Carrera (1814–1865)	14 December 1844	16 August 1848	3 years, 246 days	Conservative	—
5		Juan Antonio Martínez (?–1854) Acting	16 August 1848	28 November 1848	104 days	Conservative	—
6		José Bernardo Escobar (1797–1849) Acting	28 November 1848	1 January 1849	34 days	Conservative	—
7		Mariano Paredes (1800–1856) Acting	1 January 1849	6 November 1851	2 years, 309 days	Independent	—
8		Rafael Carrera (1814–1965)	6 November 1851	14 April 1865	13 years, 159 days	Conservative	—
9		Pedro de Aycinena y Piñol (1802–1897) Acting	14 April 1865	24 May 1865	40 days	Conservative	—
10		Vicente Cerna Sandoval (1815–1885)	24 May 1865	29 June 1871	6 years, 36 days	Conservative	—

Liberal Period (1871–1944)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
11		Miguel García Granados (1809–1878)	29 June 1871	4 June 1873	1 year, 340 days	Liberal	—
12		Justo Rufino Barrios (1835–1885)	4 June 1873	2 April 1885	11 years, 302 days	Liberal	1873 1880
13		Alejandro M. Sinibaldi (1825–1896) Acting	2 April 1885	5 April 1885	3 days	Liberal	—
14		Manuel Barillas (1845–1907)	6 April 1885	15 March 1892	6 years, 345 days	Liberal	—
15		José María Reina Barrios (1854–1898)	15 March 1892	8 February 1898	5 years, 330 days	Liberal	1892
16		Manuel Estrada Cabrera (1857–1924)	8 February 1898	15 April 1920	22 years, 67 days	Liberal	1898 1904 1910 1916
17		Carlos Herrera (1856–1930)	15 April 1920	10 December 1921	1 year, 239 days	Unionist Party	1920 (Apr) 1920 (Aug)
18		José María Orellana (1872–1926)	10 December 1921	26 September 1926	4 years, 290 days	Liberal	1921 1922
19		Lázaro Chacón González (1873–1931)	26 September 1926	12 December 1930	4 years, 77 days	Unionist Party	1926
—		Baudilio Palma (1880–1930) Acting	13 December 1930	17 December 1930	4 days	Conservative	—
—		Manuel María Orellana Contreras (1870–1940) De facto	17 December 1930	2 January 1931	16 days	Liberal	—
20		José María Reina Andrade (1860–1947) Acting	2 January 1931	14 February 1931	43 days	Liberal	—
21		Jorge Ubico (1878–1946)	14 February 1931	1 July 1944	13 years, 138 days	Progressive Liberal Party	1931
22		Juan Federico Ponce Vaides (1889–1956) Acting	4 July 1944	20 October 1944	108 days	Progressive Liberal Party	July 1944

The Ten-Year Revolution (1944–1954)

The strict rule of Jorge Ubico, which had lasted since 1931, ended with a revolution on July 4, 1944. This period is known as the "Ten Years of Spring." After many protests by students and workers, Ubico resigned and went to Mexico. He handed power to his First Deputy, Federico Ponce Vaides. Elections were held on July 4, 1944, and Ponce was declared president.

However, the opposition disagreed with the results. So, on October 20, 1944, a group of young military officers overthrew Ponce. They formed a new government called the Revolutionary Government Junta. A new constitution was created, and new elections were held. Juan José Arévalo won in 1944, and Jacobo Árbenz won in 1950. During these years, Guatemala made many social and economic changes, including a big land reform.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
23		Revolutionary Government Junta	20 October 1944	15 March 1945	146 days	Military	—
24		Juan José Arévalo (1904–1990)	15 March 1945	15 March 1951	6 years	Revolutionary Action Party	1944
25		Jacobo Árbenz (1913–1971)	15 March 1951	27 June 1954 (Removed from office)	3 years, 104 days	Revolutionary Action Party / Party of the Guatemalan Revolution	1950

Military Governments (1954–1958)

After Jacobo Árbenz resigned, Colonel Carlos Enrique Díaz, the head of the Armed Forces, took over as provisional president. Díaz quickly formed a temporary government board with Colonels Elfego H. Monzón and José Ángel Sánchez. On June 29, Díaz was forced to step down, and Monzón became the new leader of the board. Monzón then created a new governing board, including Colonel Castillo Armas.

This new board ended after a public vote on October 10, 1954, which allowed Colonel Castillo Armas to become president. Under Castillo Armas, many changes made during the Guatemalan Revolution were stopped. People who opposed the government, as well as unions and farmer groups, were treated harshly.

Castillo Armas was assassinated on July 26, 1957. The Congress then appointed Luis Arturo González as acting president. He was told to call for new elections within four months.

The election was held on October 20, 1957, but the results were canceled because of claims of cheating. President González resigned and gave power to a temporary governing board. This board was led by Óscar Mendoza Azurdia, Gonzalo Yurrita Nova, and Roberto Lorenzana. The new board only governed for two days. Then, Congress appointed Colonel Guillermo Flores Avendaño as acting president. President Avendaño called for elections in January 1958.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
26		Carlos Enrique Díaz de León (1915–2014) Provisional President	27 June 1954	29 June 1954	2 days	Military	—
27		Elfego Hernán Monzón Aguirre (1912–1981) Chairman of Military Junta	29 June 1954	8 July 1954	9 days	Military	—
28		Carlos Castillo Armas (1914–1957)	8 July 1954	26 July 1957	3 years, 18 days	National Liberation Movement	1954
29		Luis Arturo González López (1900–1965) Acting	27 July 1957	24 October 1957	89 days	Independent	—
30		Óscar Mendoza Azurdia (1917–1995) Chairman of Military Junta	24 October 1957	26 October 1957	2 days	Military	—
31		Guillermo Flores Avendaño (1894–1982) Acting	26 October 1957	2 March 1958	129 days	Military	—

Civil War Period (1958–1996)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
32		Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes (1895–1982)	2 March 1958	31 March 1963 (Removed from office)	5 years, 29 days	Military / REDENCION	1958
33		Enrique Peralta Azurdia (1908–1997)	31 March 1963	1 July 1966	3 years, 92 days	Institutional Democratic Party	—
34		Julio César Méndez Montenegro (1915–1996)	1 July 1966	1 July 1970	4 years	Revolutionary Party	1966
35		Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio (1918–2003)	1 July 1970	1 July 1974	4 years	Institutional Democratic Party	1970
36		Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García (1930–2009)	1 July 1974	1 July 1978	4 years	Institutional Democratic Party	1974
37		Fernando Romeo Lucas García (1924–2006)	1 July 1978	23 March 1982 (Removed from office)	3 years, 265 days	Institutional Democratic Party	1978
38		Efraín Ríos Montt (1926–2018)	23 March 1982	8 August 1983 (Removed from office)	1 year, 138 days	Military	—
39		Óscar Humberto Mejía Víctores (1930–2016)	8 August 1983	14 January 1986	2 years, 159 days	Military	—
40		Vinicio Cerezo (born 1942)	14 January 1986	14 January 1991	5 years	Guatemalan Christian Democracy	1985
41		Jorge Serrano Elías (born 1945)	14 January 1991	1 June 1993 (Resigned)	2 years, 138 days	Solidarity Action Movement	1990
42		Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero (1946–2024) Acting	1 June 1993	5 June 1993	4 days	Solidarity Action Movement	—
43		Ramiro de León Carpio (1942–2002)	6 June 1993	14 January 1996	2 years, 222 days	Independent	1993

Modern Era (1996–Present)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party	Elected
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
44		Álvaro Arzú (1946–2018)	14 January 1996	14 January 2000	4 years	National Advancement Party / Unionist Party	1995–1996
45		Alfonso Portillo (born 1951)	14 January 2000	14 January 2004	4 years	Guatemalan Republican Front	1999
46		Óscar Berger (born 1946)	14 January 2004	14 January 2008	4 years	National Solidarity Party / Grand National Alliance	2003
47		Álvaro Colom (1951–2023)	14 January 2008	14 January 2012	4 years	National Unity of Hope	2007
48		Otto Pérez Molina (born 1950)	14 January 2012	3 September 2015 (Resigned)	3 years, 232 days	Patriotic Party / Grand National Alliance	2011
49		Alejandro Maldonado (born 1936) Acting	3 September 2015	14 January 2016	133 days	Independent	—
50		Jimmy Morales (born 1969)	14 January 2016	14 January 2020	4 years	National Convergence Front	2015
51		Alejandro Giammattei (born 1956)	14 January 2020	14 January 2024	4 years	Vamos	2019
52		Bernardo Arévalo (born 1958)	14 January 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 174 days	Semilla	2023

Timeline of Presidents

Latest Election Results

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Guatemala para niños